Chronicles of a Gaming Mommy

Day 93: Its the final countdown 

The Wicked Witch of Bakersfield

What is with random crap falling from the sky?

I wish I could equip red-stripped socks in the game Helldivers because then I would resemble the Wizard of Oz witch both physical and in the way we both meet our untimely deaths.  During Helldivers strangers keep joining our campaign and every time they drop from the sky they crush me.  I never saw it coming, all three times I did not see the heavy metal human carrier falling from the sky.  And yes I did change my settings so that only people I know will join my party.

Diablo Treasure Goblin

It has been hard to get solo time on the PS4 because every spare moment is usually spent with the hubs.  But the other day he had a conference call and I got to log some Diablo time.   My 6-year old

Diablo Treasure Goblin 

is an avid spectator of treasure goblins in Diablo.  This kid is like a lucky charm because even though I only played solo for an hour I killed four different treasure goblins.  The hubs was super jealous and our tiny son was so elated each time he spotted a new troll he would start pointing and screaming, “that way, follow the gold, go go, faster mommy.”  Although some might question letting my kid observe Diablo, I say this kid is my lucky charm and it would be stupid to play without him.

Support Good Developers

My kids call my iPad the “Buffy Player” or “PvZ” machine.   Technically they aren’t wrong ,I do partake in both of these activities daily. 

This is going to sound like a really stupid realization to other gamers but I need to give more money to good developers.  My kid was highly motivated to behave by playing seasonal piñata levels multiple days in a row in PvZ.  The latest piñatas were all easter egg themed and my kid could not wait to see what the new daily challenge would be. 

My realization came to me after a conversation with the hubs.  I was talking about how we are hording our gems to buy new plants and he reminded us that we could always buy gems with RL money.  At first this seemed frivolous to me, but on further reflection I realize how stupid that is.  I play PvZ almost every day on my iPad.  I got the PvZ app for free and really spending six bucks to get a few upgraded plants is a small pittance.

My Plan to Torture My Teenagers

Like other holidays we do not just leave gifts for our kids to pounce on but make them do some work.  This Easter the hubs used his new calligraphy pen to write bunny notes and leave them hidden around the house. The scavenger hunt was a huge success but a major source of pride is that my six an eight year old kiddos were able to puzzle out the LotR clue in less than 30 seconds. As I mentioned in my previous post, sharing, creating, and playing games is a family affair.  For my entire life I will always remember the excitement as the kids collaborated and reveled in hunting together.  And even when they are moody and angsty teenager I have every intention of making them search for their gifts through a series of cryptic clues.

The kiddos & their loot on easter 

I know todays blog was all over the place, even more so than usual.  But I have a very busy brain and I needed to get some of my reflections written before I go crazy.  There is only one week remaining of our 100 day experiment and I can't say anything about its outcomes yet other than I have no intention of putting down my controller.  

The hubs distracting me while I blog 

12 Years of Holding Hands and Holding Controllers

Day 11: Gaming through 12 Years of Marriage 

Game: Plants vs.Zombies 2: It’s About Time  

System: iPad

Developer: Popcap/ EA

Reflection: Both of my kiddos ran screaming into the room that Frostbite Caves is now open in PvZ 2.  We only played the party level for the day but the long awaited new area was a big to-do in our family.  But today is a big day not just because it marks the discovery of a new level in PvZ. 

The Dozen

Many things come by the dozen, a base number including: roses, months, eggs, beer, golf balls, condoms, and donuts (to name a few).  On a foggy day in Bakersfield, twelve-years ago today I had just married my best friend at St. Joseph’s catholic church. 

Our wedding celebration pre-dated the bridezillas phenomena, and the entire occasion was a family collaboration.  The food and venue provided by my grandparents, booze from my inlaws, and party favors and table décor arranged by my sister and mom.  My generous family each contributed a small part to make the event a grand and beautiful occasion.  It was so special to experience aspects of my family throughout the day, none chosen by me, but each a way for my family to love me.

For everyone who has been married 12-year you know that not every day is as magical as a wedding day.  That day is a sacrament of faith that we draw upon for strength on all the other days that follow.

One of the most special moments of my wedding is when my partner asked me “what I thought of my ring engraving?”  (which I had yet to notice).  I quickly slipped the ring off my finger to read the etching that stated…

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

I remember I had to remind myself to exhale as I almost immediately embraced my partner and cried tears of joy.  The night was filled with jubilation, colorful characters, and memories that would last a lifetime.  A life based on the promise etched in that ring that this was the beginning.

Cheaper by the Dozen

I was 21-years old when I married my soul mate.  We were young, and broke, and idealistic.  Our first wedding anniversary we could not afford a night out, a day off work, or even to exchange greeting cards.  Instead we played the game Burnout: Paradise City in crash mode for the entire night.  We played for so many hours that we did not realize the sun was rising until the sound of our stomachs growling forced us awake.  We found 3 dollars and walked to the Dell Taco a few blocks away to purchase the most fowl breakfast burritos I have ever consumed.  Yet, this is my favorite anniversary memory—gaming through the night, eating stale processed egg substitute, with nothing to our name but our love, and one another. 

Today I can afford to buy a fancy meal.  We can agonize to choose the perfect game to play.  We have friends, and a gaming table, and two beautiful children that are so eager to play games with us they run joyfully to announce when a new level appears.  But nothing has ever been as good as that first celebration in a one-room flat, playing crash mode, eating dell taco, when nothing else in the world mattered but the other person holding a controller.   

I tried… but I still hate First Person Shooters

Day 7: My Black Thumb 

I am obsessed with the game PvZ on the iPad and play it daily.  When Pop Cap offered this game on the PS4 I could not have been more elated, until I realized it was an FPS. It is hard to be deterred when you feel such a connection with the art, ideas, or developer behind a game.  Even though I am terrible at shooters I thought I could overcome it to play PvZ on a new platform.  I was wrong but it isn’t because I didn’t try. 

When the music and bubble gum animation appeared on my television screen I felt a surge of joy.  Then I started my game and as the first wave appeared I was instantly stressed.  Yes, I know there is a targeting function that even turns red when you lock on to a target but I can’t even find the cross hairs.  They don’t stand out to me because shooter games are just not in my wheelhouse.  I tried a few easy levels with different plants but just could not find the same fix from playing this game in a format I don’t like.

Trying to play PvZ on the PS4 is much like the contradiction I currently face in my relationship.  I crave the familiar but even though the game has the same name, style, characters, and this music is filled with a familiar happiness: it is not the same game.  And one thing I know about myself is that I don’t want to play a first-person shooter but I picked up the controller anyway.  I only played a few levels before I changed games because watching a garden die over and over is never fun no matter how joyful the artwork.  

Playing: Plants vs. Zombies

System: PS4 & iPad

Developer: Pop Cap

Mental Note: Don't Shoot Your Husband 

Even if you plug in an old school Nintendo and blow out your old cartridges playing Super Mario Brothers or Duck Hunt will never bring the same joy it did when you were 10 years old.  Once you loose that innocence of experiencing joy without realizing you were living some of the best moments of your life they are just gone.  Just because you know they were amazing doesn’t mean that you can go back and re-live them.  You have to start over and find new joy.  This year I let go of the little house on East California and the marriage I thought I had. On a brighter note, it is probably good that I don’t like to shoot things when I am upset.

For me, 2015 is about finding new joy and not trying to force myself to like FPS’s.

*While playing PvZ on my iPad my kids decided we need some photos of me making zombie faces. Hope you enjoy some plants and zombie faces.